1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a polarizing beam splitter for splitting incident light into two types of polarized light, and a polarizing conversion element and a projection display apparatus which are provided with the polarizing beam splitter.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a projection display apparatus includes an element referred to as "a light valve" for modulating light in response to picture signals. In many cases, a transmissive liquid crystal panel or a reflective liquid crystal panel is used as a light valve, in which only one type of linear polarized light is employed. In such a projection display apparatus that employs one type of linear polarized light, a polarizing conversion element is included for converting unpolarized incident light emitted from a light source into one type of linear polarized light (e.g., s-polarized light).